Banpresto
Encyclopedia
is a Japanese toy company, best known in America for game development, headquartered in the Shinagawa Seaside West Building in Shinagawa
, Tokyo
. It was founded April 1977 as Hoei Sangyo, Co. Ltd. The company was renamed Coreland in 1982, and during the 1980s it worked mainly as a subcontractor for Sega
and its arcade division. It has been partially owned by Bandai
since 1989, when it gained its current name. It was purchased by and became a wholly owned subsidiary of Namco Bandai Holdings in March 2006.
Banpresto has created a variety of Japan-only video games, most notably the Super Robot Wars
series, which gained such a fanbase that two games of the series were translated and released to the US market. Other projects include anime tie-in games such as the Slam Dunk
basketball games and Tenchi Muyou! Game Hen
. Banpresto also makes several varieties of mechanical prize-winning games.
As Coreland, the company was responsible for the well-known classic arcade game, Pengo, published in 1982 by Sega.
Banpresto's video game operations were absorbed into Namco Bandai Games
on April 1, 2008. As part of the merger, two of Banpresto's subsidiaries, Pleasure Cast Co. Ltd and Hanayashiki Co. Ltd, became Namco
subsidiaries. Banpresto itself now focuses on its prize machines business.
Shinagawa, Tokyo
is one of the 23 special wards of Tokyo, Japan. In English, it is called Shinagawa City. The ward is home to nine embassies.As of 2008, the ward has an estimated population of 344,461 and a density of 15,740 persons per km². The total area is 22.72 km²....
, Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
. It was founded April 1977 as Hoei Sangyo, Co. Ltd. The company was renamed Coreland in 1982, and during the 1980s it worked mainly as a subcontractor for Sega
Sega
, usually styled as SEGA, is a multinational video game software developer and an arcade software and hardware development company headquartered in Ōta, Tokyo, Japan, with various offices around the world...
and its arcade division. It has been partially owned by Bandai
Bandai
is a Japanese toy making and video game company, as well as the producer of a large number of plastic model kits. It is the world's third-largest producer of toys . Some ex-Bandai group companies produce anime and tokusatsu programs...
since 1989, when it gained its current name. It was purchased by and became a wholly owned subsidiary of Namco Bandai Holdings in March 2006.
Banpresto has created a variety of Japan-only video games, most notably the Super Robot Wars
Super Robot Wars
is a series of tactical role-playing video games produced by Banpresto, which is now a Japanese division of Namco Bandai. The main feature of the franchise is having a story that crosses over several popular mecha anime, manga and video games, allowing characters and mecha from different titles to...
series, which gained such a fanbase that two games of the series were translated and released to the US market. Other projects include anime tie-in games such as the Slam Dunk
Slam Dunk (manga)
is a sports-themed manga series written by Takehiko Inoue about a basketball team from Shōhoku High School. It was first serialized in Shueisha's Weekly Shōnen Jump in Japan from 1990 to 1996 and had also been adapted into an anime series by Toei Animation which had been broadcast worldwide,...
basketball games and Tenchi Muyou! Game Hen
Tenchi Muyou! Game Hen
, also known as Tenchi Muyo! RPG, is a Japanese role-playing strategy game developed by Banpresto for the Super Famicom, released on October 27, 1995. It was licensed by AIC and the now former Pioneer LDC...
. Banpresto also makes several varieties of mechanical prize-winning games.
As Coreland, the company was responsible for the well-known classic arcade game, Pengo, published in 1982 by Sega.
Banpresto's video game operations were absorbed into Namco Bandai Games
Namco Bandai Games
is an arcade, mobile and home video game developer and publisher based in Japan which is the product of a merger between the video game development divisions of Bandai and Namco. Namco Bandai Games is a wholly owned subsidiary of Namco Bandai Holdings and specializes in production and sales of...
on April 1, 2008. As part of the merger, two of Banpresto's subsidiaries, Pleasure Cast Co. Ltd and Hanayashiki Co. Ltd, became Namco
Namco
is a Japanese corporation best known as a former video game developer and publisher. Following a merger with Bandai in September 2005, the two companies' game production assets were spun off into Namco Bandai Games on March 31, 2006. Namco Ltd. was re-established to continue domestic operation of...
subsidiaries. Banpresto itself now focuses on its prize machines business.
External links
- Banpresto Co., Ltd. (in Japanese)
- Banpresto Company Profile (in English)
- Banpresto profile on MobyGamesMobyGames-Platforms not yet included:- Further reading :* Rusel DeMaria, Johnny L. Wilson, High Score!: The Illustrated History of Electronic Games, McGraw-Hill/Osborne Media; 2 edition , ISBN 0-07-223172-6...